


"Carry On"

by bottledbasil



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Destiel - Freeform, Episode 20 Rewrite bc it fucking sucked, Episode Fix-It: s15e20 Carry On, Episode: s15e20 Carry On, Fix-It, M/M, Quote: Y yo a ti Cas | Me too (Supernatural), Season/Series 15, Season/Series 15 Spoilers, Y yo a ti cas, also i'm so sorry sam is just There, and decided to give the gays what they deserve, angel boy and rock man should just hold hands already jfc, finale rewrite, he isn't gay we have nothing in common, i don't know how to write sam, i haven't even watched spn, just saw the finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27717551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledbasil/pseuds/bottledbasil
Summary: Sam and Dean must tie up the loose ends of their hunting lives before they can move on, including saving their best friend Castiel. [In other words, I rewrote the show finale, in script form and everything. Happy Thanksgiving, homos.]
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 8
Kudos: 29





	1. "Carry On" - Season 15 Episode 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally written in a script format, which AO3 evidently doesn't like all that much; apologies if that makes it difficult to read. I'm currently trying to figure out another way to upload the script so that the formatting remains intact, and I will update this with a link to the properly formatted version if I ever find a way to do that (I'll likely add it on as a third chapter).

“CARRY ON”

as rewritten by  
Skyler Agneli

based on the TV show Supernatural

  
“CARRY ON”

FADE IN:

INT. BUNKER/DEAN’S ROOM - DAY

An alarm clock goes off, and a hand reaches out to stop it.

MUSIC CUE: “Losing My Religion” by R.E.X.

Dean lays in bed for a few moments before dragging himself out and heading to the bathroom. The dog follows behind him, peacefully oblivious to the inner turmoil Dean is going through.

INT. BATHROOM

Dean washes his face and brushes his teeth, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror and fixating on it. He looks exhausted. His hair is messy, eyes framed by dark circles. He rubs his eyes and exits the bathroom.

INT. DEAN’S ROOM

Dean returns to his bed, sinking into the mattress. Originally he’s sitting up, but then he lays back, feet still planted on the floor. He looks to the nightstand, where a photo of him, Sam, and Castiel sits framed. He sits up again, grabbing the frame and looking at it for several moments.

Eventually, Dean sets the frame back and gets up, ultimately encountering Sam in the galley.

END MUSIC CUE

INT. GALLEY

SAM  
You’re finally up. I see the dog picked you over me.

Dean doesn’t answer, moving to go sit down at the table with his back to Sam.

SAM  
That was a joke. Usually people laugh at those. Anyway, I was making myself a sandwich, and I wouldn’t mind making you one, too. I know you skipped breakfast.  
 _(beat)_  
Or not.  
 _(beat)_  
Talk to me, Dean. I feel like we haven’t had a genuine conversation in days, which would be fine if we didn’t live in the same place.

DEAN  
I’m sorry, Sam. I’m just...processing, still. Can we go for a drive?

SAM  
Yeah, of course. Uh, where to?

Dean gets up, making for the door without answering while Sam (and the dog) follows.

EXT. BUNKER

MUSIC CUE: “Losing My Religion” by R.E.X.

Focus shifts back to Dean, and the music comes back in as he gets in the Impala, playing where it left off. Sam follows suit, and the Impala pulls away from the bunker.

INT. IMPALA - TRAVELING

They’re driving for a few moments before they begin to speak to each other. As the dialogue starts, “Losing My Religion” fades to the background but continues to play.

DEAN  
What are we gonna do about Cass?

SAM  
I don’t know yet, but we’ll find something. We always find something.

DEAN  
The “something” is usually a lot easier when he’s already here, or some other angel is. How do you get someone back from a place older than Heaven and Hell without help from either one?

SAM  
I’m sure we’ve done more extreme things before. Besides, we aren’t entirely alone. We have Jack.

DEAN  
I got the impression Jack wasn’t too keen on interfering. Even if he decided to do a couple extra things himself, he doesn’t even know where Cass is.

SAM  
Well, we’ll try. And if Jack doesn’t answer, we’ll try something else, and we’ll keep trying until Cass is back.  
 _(beat)_  
Do you not believe me?

DEAN  
I don’t know what I believe anymore, honestly. I just...

SAM  
...just what?

DEAN  
Forget I said anything. After everything that’s happened, I need a break. A pie and some beer. I don’t know.

SAM  
Then let’s go get a pie and some beer. Whether we start searching now or we start searching two hours from now won’t make a difference when you haven’t eaten in twenty-four hours.

DEAN  
And your suggestion is...pie?

SAM  
What, do you have any better ideas? You clearly didn’t like my sandwich suggestion, and pie will be good for your mood anyhow.

DEAN  
...alright. Pie it is.

INT/EXT. IMPALA - TRAVELING

“Losing My Religion” swells again and closes out as the Impala drives off.

END MUSIC CUE

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. BUNKER/LIBRARY - NIGHT

Sam enters, phone in hand, and Dean looks up from the book he’s reading. There are several other books spread out on the table, in varying stages of being read through. Notes are pinned up on a board.

DEAN  
Still no word from Jack?

SAM  
None. He’s really committing to this whole “hands-off” thing.

DEAN  
Well he is like, what, three? Just means we move onto Plan B.

SAM  
Which is...?

DEAN  
I’m not sure yet.

Sam moves to sit down at the table with Dean, setting down two cups of coffee.

DEAN _(CONT’D)_  
Of all the books in this library, I can’t find even one that talks about the Empty in any extended capacity. I’ve found a couple of alternate names, maybe, but that’s it, and even then those names don’t reappear much so they’re basically useless anyway.

Dean nods towards a stack of closed books.

DEAN  
Those are others I’ve pulled that might have leads, if you wanna start on those while I finish these up.

SAM  
 _(reaching for a book)_  
Sounds good.

SERIES OF SHOTS - THE BROTHERS IN THE LIBRARY

MUSIC CUE: “25 or 6 to 4” by Chicago

A) Both brothers are reading, maybe sipping coffee.

B) Sam naps while Dean continues to work. There are more notes pinned to the board than there were before, and there are a couple more coffee mugs on the table. Sam’s book stack is smaller by a couple of books—Dean’s has grown taller.

C) Sam is awake again and reading with Dean. The coffee mugs have multiplied, and so have the books. There’s a couple of beer bottles now strewn about as well, and Dean has more prominent eye bags.

D) Sam walks out of the library with the dog following, and they return a short time later. Sam is carrying two beers and sets one next to Dean. Dean barely acknowledges it, still reading.

E) Sam is nodding off while Dean drinks a beer, continuing to read and write notes and pin them up.

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

END MUSIC CUE

Dean slams closed the main book in front of him, and Sam jolts awake. He is looking much better off than Dean is.

DEAN  
I can’t find shit in here! All of these notes and names and none of it makes any sense.

SAM  
Maybe we’re looking in the wrong place.

DEAN  
And where do you suggest we go instead? The public library? I’m sure it’s got everything we need to know about the entity older than God holding our angelic friend hostage.

SAM  
What do you want me to say? This clearly isn’t working! We’ve been going at this for days and we don’t have any leads.

DEAN  
Well...one. I have one lead.

SAM  
You should’ve started with that! What is it?

DEAN  
I was hoping you had found something else—you aren’t going to like it.

SAM  
It’s all we’ve got, Dean.

Dean pushes a book over to Sam. Parts of the pages it's open to are highlighted, and there are notes in the margins.

DEAN  
This says we can summon the Shadow and “make an exchange.” Doesn’t say how, or what kind of exchange, but it’s a start.

SAM  
That’s...

DEAN  
Risky? Yes. But it might be the only—  
 _(voice cracks)_  
the only way we can get him back.

There’s a thick silence as Sam studies the pages Dean showed him.

SAM  
Dean...this might be too far.

DEAN  
Too far? The hell do you mean too far?

SAM  
Listen to me: all our lives we’ve been manipulated and chased by all of this supernatural bullshit, and now we finally have the chance to move on and let it all go. I could go back to college, and you could—

DEAN  
Woah, wait—

SAM  
The point is, don’t you worry that summoning the Shadow would destroy the peace we’ve worked so hard for?

DEAN  
Peace? I won’t have peace until I know our friend isn’t rotting in celestial hell for all eternity.

SAM  
That’s not—

DEAN  
Cass dragged me out of Hell when he barely even knew who I was. Even forgetting everything else we’ve been through together, we owe him this at least.

SAM  
I understand that, but Dean—

DEAN  
You say you understand but then there’s a “but”? Do you even care about him, Sam?

SAM  
That’s not fair.

DEAN  
You want to talk about fairness? My whole life has been unfair. It has been absolute shit. You and Cass are the two people that make it worthwhile, and now, with some semblance of an opportunity to get Cass back and spend the rest of my life with him, you want me to just move on?

SAM  
I want you to take a damn minute and think about what you’re saying. I want Cass back as much as you do, but rushing into this headfirst sounds like a great way to get us back to square one.

DEAN  
At least square one has Cass.

SAM  
You don’t think that’s selfish?

DEAN  
After everything we’ve been through, I think we get to be a little selfish. What was it that you said? “We’ll keep trying until Cass is back”?

SAM  
Are you saying I’m giving up? For wanting to find a solution that doesn’t put us and possibly the rest of humanity in danger after we just saved it?

DEAN  
Well you sure as hell seem ready to just roll on your back, belly up, and accept that he’s gone.

Sam looks stunned, taken aback by Dean’s words. Dean starts gathering up notes and books, grabbing the one he showed to Sam along with some random others.

DEAN  
If you won’t help me, I’ll do it myself.

Dean leaves the library, books in hand, leaving Sam and the dog to stare after him.

INT. IMPALA - TRAVELING

Dean is driving, with the books and notes he took sitting in the passenger’s seat.

EXT. MOTEL

The Impala pulls into the parking lot of a dingy-looking motel. The “y” in the vacancy sign is crooked, and there’s no discernible name aside from “MOTEL” printed in big, decaying letters above the main building’s door.

Dean steps out of the Impala, grabbing his things from the passenger’s seat and heading inside.

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. MOTEL/LOBBY

There’s no one at the front desk, and Dean has to wait several moments after ringing the bell to be seen. The ATTENDANT is dressed in a uniform that reflects the motel’s decrepit interior and is evidently unenthused by having to check someone in.

ATTENDANT  
What do you want.

DEAN  
Just a single room. I don’t know how long I’ll be here—

ATTENDANT  
That’s nice. Name?

DEAN  
Dean Wi—

ATTENDANT  
Well, Dean, it’s seventy-five bucks a night, for however long your stay ends up being. Take your pick.

The attendant holds out a number of keys, and Dean awkwardly takes one. The thick rubber tag attached to the key says “1C”.

ATTENDANT  
Enjoy.

There will not be much to enjoy.

EXT/INT. MOTEL/ROOM 1C - TRACKING

Dean walks out of the lobby and over to room 1C, marked by cracked and yellowing wooden lettering. After much struggle, he’s able to unlock the door and go inside.

Once inside, he dumps his things on a beaten-up desk and locks the door. Rubbing his face, he gets to work, using tape to tack the notes he brought to the wall over the desk.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ROOM 1C - NIGHT

The room is lit by the desk lamp and Dean’s phone, which is shown to be in the process of trying to call Jack. When the call goes unanswered, Dean sighs, turning off the light and pushing himself back from the desk towards the bed. He sees a Bible sitting on the nightstand, lit by what moonlight gets in through the window.

INT. IMPALA/EXT. BAR - TRACKING

Dean steps out of the Impala, where the Bible sits in the passenger’s seat, and he looks loathsomely at the bar he is about to enter. As he steps forward, his phone rings.

INT. BUNKER/LIBRARY

Sam is sitting at the same table as earlier, phone in hand. Things look neater than they did when Dean left, but it is evident that Sam is still working on finding a solution: a coffee mug sits on the table among a sea of books that, albeit more organized than how Dean left things, are still flipped to various pages with notes in the margins.

EXT. BAR

Dean looks at his phone, at the bar, and then back at his phone. He puts his phone in his pocket, letting it ring as he makes his way towards the entrance. A knife is peeking out of his waistband.

INT. LIBRARY

Sam gets the voicemail tone and sighs, deciding to leave a message.

SAM  
 _(into the phone)_  
Hey. I know you’re probably still blowing off steam, and that’s fine, but I just wanted to make sure you were okay.

EXT/INT. BAR - TRACKING

Dean walks away from the Impala and enters the bar.

SAM (V.O.) _(CONT’D)_  
Your relationship with Cass is different. I know that. I just—I don’t want you to get killed, Dean.

Dean scans the bar, finally spying Chuck sitting in a corner, alone.

SAM (V.O.) _(CONT’D)_  
Call me when you want to. And, please stay alive until then.

Dean makes a beeline for Chuck, who notices him and makes a move to get up and flee. Discreetly, Dean pulls the knife and forces him back down into the booth.

DEAN  
Just the man I was looking for. What, nervous to share a drink with me after fifteen years of meddling with my life?

CHUCK  
How foolish of me for thinking you would let me live out my wretchedly mortal life without rubbing it in my face at least once. What do you want?

DEAN  
Tell me how to get Cass back.

CHUCK  
Still on this? I’m off the hook for that sort of thing, I’m afraid. Not God anymore, remember? You made sure of that one. Why don’t you ask your whiny brat kid how to get him back?

Dean looks away for a moment, not knowing how to respond, which brings Chuck to a low laugh.

CHUCK  
Left you, did he? Seems like everyone leaves you Winchesters sooner or later.

DEAN  
I’m going to repeat myself one time and one time only, and if you don’t answer the damn question I will take you to Hell myself. How do I get Cass back?

Chuck takes a long drink, eyeing Dean and his knife.

CHUCK  
You know it’ll kill you, right? The Empty isn’t a place for mortals like you.  
 _(bitter laugh)_  
Or me, now, for that matter.

DEAN  
Tell. Me.

CHUCK  
Oh, I’ll tell you, but only because I know how it’ll end. The lengths you will go to for a fallen angel are pitiful, Dean.

Chuck pulls out a pen from his shirt pocket and begins drawing on a napkin. After completing a small diagram and some notes, including a Latin incantation, he passes the napkin to Dean, who looks over it as Chuck speaks again.

CHUCK  
There you are. The final chapter of your life, as written by yours truly. Poetic, isn’t it?

The napkin is signed “Chuck” at the bottom. Dean scowls.

CHUCK ( _CONT’D)_  
Say, where’s Sammy?

Dean gets up wordlessly and heads for the exit of the bar, ignoring Chuck.

MUSIC CUE: “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles

INT. BUNKER/LIBRARY

Obligatory shot of the names carved into the table.

Beer bottles have joined the coffee mug, and some of Sam’s own notes are tacked up to the board where Dean’s were previously. The dog sits at his side while he reads, and Sam absentmindedly scratches the dog’s head with one hand while flipping pages and drinking with the other. He glances at his phone before returning to his work.

EXT. MOTEL

Dean slams the Impala door shut, carrying the Bible with Chuck’s napkin peeking out along with one or two other bags that he did not have before.

INT. MOTEL/ROOM 1C

Dean sets the bags and Bible on the bed before taking the napkin and taping it to the wall in the center of his notes. He dumps out the bag’s contents, revealing several red candles, a lighter, and white chalk.

Taking the chalk first, Dean draws a circle on the hardwood floor at the end of the bed. Within the circle, he then draws two triangles connected at the center point, making a geometric hourglass shape.

INT. LIBRARY

Sam runs his hands through his hair before placing his head in his hands. He has hit dead end, after dead end, after dead end. He reaches for his phone, but the phone is dead.

INT. ROOM 1C

Dean sets a candle at each point of the geometric hourglass that touches the circle: two on each side. He then puts one at the top of the circle and one at the bottom, for a total of six candles.

Kneeling before the circle, Dean pauses, and then his eyes flutter shut and he begins to pray. Praying is not in the notes Chuck included on his napkin.

After praying, Dean takes the lighter and, starting with the top candle and moving counter-clockwise, lights all six. He then flicks off the lighter and sets it on the desk, right next to his phone. He pauses again, looking at the circle and then back at his phone. He picks it up and tries to call Sam, but with no answer.

Back to the ritual. Dean begins speaking, presumably the Latin incantation Chuck gave him, but we do not hear what he’s saying. Taking the knife, he carves a circle into the palm of his left hand before dragging a line through it. Using the blood now coming from his wound, he traces the chalk circle, but this time instead of the geometric hourglass he draws a slash through the circle to match the one on his palm.

END MUSIC CUE

The flames roar, the blood marks on the floor glowing. Up from the center of the circle comes a black mass, slowly taking a humanoid shape. The shape then becomes an off-putting replica of Dean, sneering.

THE SHADOW  
Not the most charming form I’ve ever had, to be sure, but I’d rather not kill you instantly; this is the first time in eons a mortal has been stupid enough to summon me to Earth, so you might say I’m intrigued to hear what you have to say. Why exactly have you disturbed my slumber, hm?

DEAN  
I want to make an exchange.

THE SHADOW  
 _(laughing)_  
That goes without saying, you dunce. Everyone always wants something, especially you humans. I want to know what.

Before Dean can answer, the Shadow reaches out a hand and grabs his jaw. Dean’s face contorts in pain as the Shadow picks through his memories.

THE SHADOW  
My apologies! You’re one of the mighty Winchesters; I should have more respect, shouldn’t I? Oh, how enjoyable this will be for me.  
 _(beat)_  
Some of these are quite scandalous, you know. If I wasn’t older than the universe itself, I might find it in me to blush.  
 _(beat)_  
Ohh...so that’s what. How lovely it all comes together in the end.

The Shadow morphs again, this time into Castiel. Leaning as far forward as it can without falling out of the circle, The Shadow puts its face next to Dean’s, who is still in immense pain.

THE SHADOW  
“Hello, Dean.”

It releases Dean’s face with a shove, leaning back and folding its arms.

THE SHADOW  
I’m afraid I’m going to keep this one.

DEAN  
Like hell you will. I called you here to make an exchange for him, and that’s what’s going to happen.

THE SHADOW  
Your tenacity is disgusting, and moronic. What is so important about a rejected angel, anyway? He’s not even that exciting anymore. Last time he visited, he just would not stop talking. Now, he sleeps, just like how everyone else—including myself—is supposed to.

DEAN  
So what if he is? That doesn’t change the fact that I summoned you to make a deal, and I want him back.

THE SHADOW  
Your disturbance was amusing at first, but now you are wearing me thin, Winchester. Castiel is a disgrace to angels and, more importantly, has offended me personally. He stays.

DEAN  
Then I guess we’re both stuck in this shitty motel room for an eternity.

THE SHADOW  
An eternity? You’ve got like, what, thirty years left in you? Forty, maybe. Even if you do spend the rest of your life living out of this “motel,” eventually your life will run out and I’ll get to slink back to the Empty with Castiel.

DEAN  
And you’re willing to be awake that long? Listening to me talk, and talk, and talk—

THE SHADOW  
You doubt my patience?

DEAN  
I doubt your forward-thinking. If we make the deal now, no matter how it goes for me, you get to go back to sleep far sooner than if you had to wait for me to die.

THE SHADOW  
...you know what? You’ve convinced me, oh mighty Winchester. If you’re going to keep me awake, you might as well provide me at least some mild entertainment. How’s this sound, keeping in mind that I don’t actually care what you think because it’s the only offer I’ll make: I’ll take you back with me to the Empty, and if you can find Castiel before that wound on your hand heals you can both be out of my existence forever.

DEAN  
And if I fail?

THE SHADOW  
Where’s the fun in telling you that? It’s unimportant, anyway. No matter what I would say you’d still take it, you selfish bastard.  
 _(beat, and then reaches out a hand)_  
Well? Do we have a deal, Dean Winchester?

DEAN  
...deal.

Dean reaches out his hand, and after they shake the Shadow yanks him forward and they disappear the same way the Shadow came. The candles blow out, and the room is dark again.

INT. THE EMPTY

Dean slams into the floor, groaning, and the Shadow stands over him for a moment.

THE SHADOW  
You better get cracking. This place is infinite, you know, and the clock is ticking.

The Shadow falls apart and melts into the ground, leaving Dean alone. Even his breathing seems to echo as he gets up from the ground.

DEAN  
Cass?

His voice echoes, racing away from him before coming back around in an incredibly disorientating manner.

DEAN  
 _Cass?_

The same thing happens. Dean takes in a deep breath and begins to walk, footsteps oddly silent in comparison to his still echoing voice. He continues to call for Cass, even though the implication is that it hurts his head to do so.

We see him walking, and walking, and walking, getting the sense that he has been doing this for what would be days on Earth but in the Empty means nothing. He has visibly become exhausted, split-lipped with bags under his eyes.

DISSOLVE TO:

Dean looks down at his palm, which looks angry, maybe a bit crusty, but is definitely healing. His palms fold together and he looks up, beginning to pray.

DEAN (V.O)  
Hey, Cass. I don’t know if you can hear me, but I have to try. I’m running out of options and time. I’m here to get you. We can go home, Cass. But I need your help. I can’t find you on my own. I need you to look for me, too. You’ve always been better at helping me than the other way around, anyhow.

INT. THE EMPTY

Castiel lays on the ground, alone, unresponsive.

DEAN (V.O) _(CONT’D)_  
Please, Cass.

Castiel’s eyes open.

INT. THE EMPTY

Dean is walking again, visibly struggling. He checks his palm, which has become a dark but clean scar. He tries to step forward but stumbles, collapsing to the ground.

DEAN  
Fuck!

He tries to get up but fails, tears welling in his eyes.

DEAN  
No, no, I don’t wanna go, no, _fuck_...

INT. TAXI - TRAVELING

Sam is in the back of a cab, frantically trying to get through to Dean.

SAM  
Pick up, pick up, come on...

DEAN (V.O)  
Hey Sam. I’m sorry I haven’t been answering your calls, and I don’t blame you for missing mine. I want to apologize for blowing up in your face about Cass. I know you care, and I understand why you’re drawing the line. But I...it’s different. You know it’s different.

INT. THE EMPTY

Dean tries to force himself up again, still unsuccessful. Through blurred vision, he looks at his palm. The scar is more pale now.

DEAN (V.O) _(CONT’D)_  
I can’t draw the line, and that’s no fault of yours. I haven’t been fully honest with you. I didn’t tell you everything Cass said to me before he was taken, and, honestly, I’m still not ready to, but the bottom line is...I need to get him back.

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. TAXI - TRAVELING

Another shot of Sam in the back of the cab. The taxi driver is giving him weird looks as he gets increasingly frustrated with the unanswered calls.

DEAN (V.O) _(CONT’D)_  
I know how to summon the Shadow, and I’m going to do it. I know you don’t want me to, but I have to try, or I’ll never rest easy. I need him, Sam. I think the machine is gonna cut me off soon. I’m at the motel down the road.

INT. THE EMPTY

DEAN (V.O) _(CONT’D)_  
I’m sorry.

CASTIEL (O.S.)  
Dean?

Dean forces his head up, and we see the blurry form of Castiel slowly coming into focus, walking towards him.

DEAN  
Cass? _Ha_ —holy shit!

CASTIEL (O.S.)  
What the hell are you doing here?

Castiel is almost to Dean now, but he looks...wrong.

DEAN  
I—I came to get you, I...Cass?

Castiel kneels down and grabs Dean’s face, forcing his chin up with an unnerving smile.

THE SHADOW  
Time’s up, Dean. I win.

Dean is horror-stricken. He’s been tricked, and now he’s lost.

CASTIEL (O.S.)  
Hey assbutt!

The real Castiel stands behind the two of them, rapidly advancing.

CASTIEL _(CONT’D)_  
I was here first. Back off.

THE SHADOW  
Yeah, no. Doesn’t count. Dean has to find _you_ , and he failed. He’s mine. You both are.

Dean tears his head from the Shadow’s grip to turn and look at Castiel, relief plain on his face.

DEAN  
Found him.  
 _(shakily holds up his palm)_  
Still there. I win.

The Shadow releases Dean forcefully, standing up angrily with its jaw set. Castiel comes between it and Dean, the shadow of his wings extending.

CASTIEL  
This wasn’t part of our deal. Why is he here?

THE SHADOW  
Not part of yours and mine, maybe, but the Winchester made a deal of his own. You really think I would taint this space with whiny mortals of my own volition?

CASTIEL  
 _(looking back at Dean)_  
Deal?

DEAN  
 _(breathlessly)_  
What, did you think I was gonna just leave you here?

Castiel helps Dean to his feet, heavily supporting him.

CASTIEL  
I mean, that is what happens when you die.

DEAN  
Never stopped me before.

THE SHADOW  
Ugh, this is disgusting. I’ve seen enough of both your minds to know where this is going to go, and I don’t want it here. One last thing before you go, though.

The Shadow pokes Castiel in the chest, and he gasps sharply as the shadow of his wings distorts and disappears.

DEAN  
What did you just—

THE SHADOW  
Quit whining. I’m still upholding our stupid deal, and you and loverboy here still get to leave. You just don’t get all of him, per the subjective and demanding laws of my universe. Now, leave before my goodwill falters and I kill both of you.

A portal opens, and before Castiel or Dean can move towards it or say anything else the Shadow shoves them through.

INT. MOTEL/ROOM 1C

Castiel and Dean skid across the floor and crash into the foot of the bed, smearing the chalk and blood on the floor and knocking over some of the candles.

CASTIEL  
Are you okay?

DEAN  
 _(hoarse)_  
I—yes. Very much yes.

They knock foreheads together, Dean’s hand resting on Castiel’s shoulder.

DEAN  
Hi, Cass.

CASTIEL  
Hello, Dean.

They stay there for a few moments, catching their breaths.

CASTIEL  
So, are you going to explain all this?

DEAN  
Me? You first.

Dean shifts, resting his head on Castiel’s shoulder as he lays in the crook of his arm. He closes his eyes as he exhales.

DEAN  
Don’t...don’t ever pull that shit again. You hear me? I’ll kill you myself next time. I mean it, you dumb son of a bitch.

There’s a relieved smile on his face. He doesn’t mean it.

CASTIEL  
Dean, I—

DEAN  
Give me five minutes before...that. My head feels like it was just ripped off and then reattached backwards. I need a break before we can have any kind of coherent conversation.

Just as Dean and Castiel are about to nod off, the door slams open, revealing Sam. He opens his mouth to speak but closes it again when he sees Castiel. He looks overwhelmingly relieved.

SAM  
Cass!

CASTIEL  
Hello, Sam.

SAM  
 _(to Dean, grinning)_  
You really did it, huh. You crazy bastard.

DEAN  
I’m sorry, Sam, I—

SAM  
You don’t need to explain yourself, Dean. I understand. I got the voicemail. I’m just glad you—both of you—are okay.

DEAN  
Voicemail? Didn't I leave that, like, a week ago?

SAM  
A week? Try three hours. I would’ve been here immediately, but my phone was dead and then I went to the wrong motel. I’m not exactly great under pressure.

CASTIEL  
 _(looking at Dean)_  
You were in the Empty for that long?!

SAM  
Clearly, you two have things to discuss, and you also look absolutely terrible, so how about you toss me the keys and I’ll go start Baby while you clean up so we don’t get the cops called on us for smearing blood all over a motel room.

DEAN  
They’re on the desk. It’s going to take me five minutes at least to move, let alone clean up... _this_ , so you might as well go get dinner.

SAM  
Letting me drive the Impala without supervision? What is this, Heaven?

DEAN  
Just go get the burgers, Sammy.

SAM  
Call me when you’re done?

Dean nods, and Sam exits. Dean leans his head back against the bed again. There’s a long pause after Sam leaves before Dean begins to speak.

DEAN  
I’m sorry I didn’t say it back, Cass.

CASTIEL  
Don’t apologize. I didn’t expect you to; I just wanted you to know.

DEAN  
No, Cass, I...I _wanted_ to say it back. Want. Fuck, I’ve had days to plan out exactly what I was going to say, and now I can’t even say any of it.

CASTIEL  
Dean—

DEAN  
No, shut up. I didn’t know angels— _you_ could feel that way, least of all about me, so I never said anything. And then, when I found out you could—you _did_ , I couldn’t even spit out the three words that have been sitting in my chest for a little under a decade. And I’m sorry for that.

CASTIEL  
Stop apologizing, Dean. You have nothing to be sorry for. Well—you probably owe an apology to whoever owns this motel.

DEAN  
Yeah, okay. Next time you decide to say “I love you” and promptly die, maybe consider the things I’ll do to have the chance to say it back.  
 _(beat)_  
I love you, Cass.

CASTIEL  
I figured as much from your little speech.

DEAN  
I’m trying to be tender, you ass.

CASTIEL  
We have the rest of our lives to be tender. Right now, we need to clean up the mess you made.

DEAN  
The mess I made for you. Here,  
 _(shrugging off his outer flannel)_  
use this.

CASTIEL  
Woah, woah. Now that I’m human, your blood is a biohazard. You clean it up.

DEAN  
I am going to pass out if Sam doesn’t come back with those burgers in the next ten minutes, you do it.

Begrudgingly, Castiel begins to wipe up the chalk and blood with Dean’s flannel. He’s smiling, so he can’t mind it all that much.

EXT. MOTEL

Castiel and Dean walk out to greet Sam, who pops his head out of the Impala. Dean is heavily leaning on Castiel, still immensely exhausted from his ventures in the Empty.

SAM  
Food’s in the back. Is everything sorted?

Dean waves his hand dismissively.

INT. IMPALA

Dean falls into the passenger’s seat, and Castiel gets into the back where the food is.

SAM  
Is that a yes?

CASTIEL  
It’s an “I’m starving.”

SAM  
Well, take your pick and then pass the rest up.

Castiel takes a burger and fries and passes the greasy bag up to Dean, who puts it between him and Sam. He takes out a burger and starts eating.

CASTIEL  
Now what?

DEAN  
Now...we go home.

MUSIC CUE: “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas

EXT. IMPALA - TRAVELING.

The Impala pulls out of the motel parking lot and onto the road, heading back to the bunker.

FADE OUT.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As is probably apparent, I have never watched Supernatural. My interest was piqued when 5.18 dropped, and, as a consequence, I actually sat down and watched the finale as it aired—a definite mistake. After watching that dumpster fire, I decided to rewrite the episode as one that would have made me watch the rest of the show. I do not know who Eileen is, aside from that she is Sam’s girlfriend who seems incredibly lovely, so she didn’t appear in this episode simply because I didn’t want to do her a disservice. You can assume that, after the events of this episode, Sam and Eileen get married and probably have kids that their uncles Dean and Cas dote on. Also, for all you screenwriter techies, I know you aren’t supposed to use music cues in a writer’s script, but this is blatant fanfiction and I’ll do what I want. Anyways, I hope this was a big enough bandaid for y’all’s hearts after the travesty that was 5.20. (And, sorry for spelling “Cas” as “Cass.” It hurt me, too. I had to do it for the ✨ authenticity ✨.)
> 
> If you wanna come harass me on Tumblr, you can find me at either bottledbas1l or nocxtifer, preferably nocxtifer (I made bottledbas1l to be a separate writing account from my main but I might just merge them at this point because I can't be bothered) .


	2. Episode Outline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is just the episode outline I wrote before starting in case anyone was curious to read it and see how I planned everything out!

SYNOPSIS: Sam and Dean must tie up the loose ends of their hunting lives before they can move on, including saving their best friend Castiel.

ACT ONE  
_Dean and Sam set to trying to get Cas back, but hit a wall when Jack is unresponsive and every book they can get their hands on mentions summoning the Shadow as the only way. Sam and Dean fight, and Dean takes matters into his own hands._

Open on Dean waking up, following him as he goes about his morning like it would be a monster of the week/slice of life episode. He is clearly missing something, and he invites Sam to go for a drive with him.

In the Impala, Dean, still facing the windshield, asks what they’re going to do about Cas because he’s the last piece they’re missing. They talk, and Sam says he’ll do anything to get him back. Dean still doesn’t broach the topic of the confession with Sam, because he’s internalized his homophobia for so long that he struggles to see how his brother could ever love him after that. Once Cas is back, they’ll figure it out.

Sam enters a room where Dean is pouring over books. Notes are pinned to the wall, diagrams, drawings. It’s clear they have been working for a while. Sam relays that he has still been unable to contact Jack, and Dean makes a snide comment about him really being “hands off.” Montage continues of them pouring over books.

Montage ends with Dean slamming a book shut, saying all he can find is that he needs to summon the Shadow but with no instructions on how. Sam, clearly more well-rested, suggests that maybe they need to let it go. In his eyes, if they cannot go directly through Jack, it is a wasted venture—he’s too close to a “normal life” again and he’s terrified that summoning the Shadow will ruin the peace they finally have. Dean accuses him of not caring about Cas, and after heated words Dean scoops up several books and drives off in the Impala.

ACT TWO  
_Dean hunts down Chuck and gets him to explain how to get to the Empty. Chuck obliges, assuming that it will kill Dean and if that’s the only victory he can get he’ll take it._

Dean pulls into a motel, dragging his things inside and dumping them on the small, disheveled desk. The sun sets but Dean remains in the same place, pouring over what he has and making more notes and taping them up. After another unsuccessful call to Jack, Dean moves to go to bed, and sees a Bible sitting on the bedside table.

He’s driving in the Impala, and the Bible sits in the passenger’s seat. He pulls into [insert diner], getting out and slamming the door. He leaves the Bible in the car, but you can see the hilt of a knife poking out of his waistband. Just as he’s about to step into the bar, he gets a call from Sam. We see him hesitate for a moment, and then he looks up and back before putting the phone in his pocket to let it ring into nothing.

Cut to Sam, who is sitting at a table in the bunker. When the call fails, he leaves a message and rubs his face, knowing Dean needs space but also knowing he can’t get himself killed. It’s implied that Sam has still been reading the books at the table, trying to find another way.

Dean walks into the diner and stands in the doorway for a moment, looking over. He sees Chuck sitting in a corner on his own, and makes a beeline for him. Chuck sees him, and his eyes go wide. He stands up but Dean forces him back down, pulling the knife and holding it as a threat under the table. Chuck laughs at him, but after enough prompting writes something on a napkin and hands it back to Dean. “You’re a moron, kid. I only give this to you because I know it’ll kill you.”

Dean leaves the diner, folding the napkin between the pages of the bible. He returns to the motel, locking the door behind him and setting things up just as Chuck told him—the assumption is that he went and bought some candles and shit like that. Standing in the circle, he takes the knife from earlier and carves a circle with a line through it into his hand before taking his fingertip and drawing the same symbol in the motel carpet with his blood. The Shadow appears.

ACT THREE  
_Dean makes a deal with the Shadow, returning with Cas and reuniting with Sam._

The Shadow appears, and it laughs at the pitiful Winchester standing in a circle of his own blood with tears in his eyes. Bored, and in the business of terrible deals, it offers Dean an ultimatum: if he can find Cas in the infinite blackness before the wound on his palm heals into a neat scar, he can take Cas and leave. If not...well, wouldn’t Dean like to know? He makes the deal blind, and is thrown into the blackness.

Dean stands alone in a black space that seems to extend into forever. He calls out for Cas, and his voice echoes around and back past him in the opposite direction. Incredibly disoriented, he chooses a direction and just starts walking, calling for Cas even when the ringing makes his head hurt.

Montage of Dean walking. You can tell he has been doing this for days, but time has no meaning in the Empty. There’s a shot of him looking at his palm, vaguely crusted but healing. The palms fold together, and he prays. The praying fades into him walking again, checking his palm.

The final sequence, Dean is lurching forward more than he is walking. There is nothing holding him up anymore except for sheer willpower, and when he stumbles over his own feet he can’t push himself back up. A shot of his palm again but it’s blurry, and we can see that it’s faded to a scar. He has lost, and he cries for Cas but the words can barely leave his hoarse throat. He apologizes to him, to Sam. And then, faintly, we hear “Dean?” Dean forces his head up, and we watch as Cas standing on the horizon comes into focus. Dean, split lipped with eyes bagged, breaks into a grin as Cas runs towards him, hoisting him in panic trying to figure out why he’s there.

The Shadow’s body materializes, congratulating Dean through gritted teeth. Before it lets them go, we see the shadow of Cas’s wings one last time, extending behind him and Dean. The Shadow takes them, feathers settling on the ground as we hear a sharp cry from Cas.

The Shadow shoves them out, and they land in the motel nearly on top of each other. Dean is too exhausted to even move, so he and Cas just lay there, holding each other while they breathe. “I need a nap, Cas.”

Sam finds them, wrestling the door open and taking in the state of the room in disbelief. It wakes them both up, and Dean starts to get up but stumbles. Sam catches him, and holds up his phone when Dean asks how he found them. Sam apologizes for not helping, and Dean apologizes for putting so much pressure on him when he knows how hard this whole lifestyle has been for him. Understanding that Dean and Cas have something going on, he asks Dean for the keys to go start the Impala so they can all go home.

Dean apologizes for not saying “it” back, and Cas replies that he understands, not understanding that his lack of verbal reciprocation is not because he doesn’t love him back but because he struggles to say it. They kiss, snide jokes are made about the blood on the floor, and then they go meet Sam in the Impala.

As they drive back towards the bunker, _Carry on Wayward Son_ starts to play. It fades out. Everything is better.

AND THEN MAYBE AN EPILOGUE THAT SHOWS THEIR LIVES AFTER I HAVEN’T QUITE DECIDED


End file.
